Many Pennsylvanians face chronic unemployment, welfare dependency, and the cycle of poverty. This happens because labor incentives have been overridden by bad policies that keep millions out of the workforce and enact excessive red tape. We can reverse this trend by ending the practice of waiving work requirements on able-bodied Pennsylvanians with no dependents, removing barriers to employment for those seeking a fresh start, and creating a healthcare system without burdensome regulations.

Health Care

Health Insurance Mandate Update

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 8, 2008

Wall Street Journal op-ed by CAHI researchers on the cost of the 1,961 health insurance mandates. A health-insurance “mandate” is a legislative requirement that an insurance company or…

Media

Read More: Health Insurance Mandate Update

Health Care

Cover A Few Pennsylvanians update

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 6, 2008

A few weeks ago, we put out some quick facts about the few Pennsylvanians that would be covered by “Cover All Pennsylvanians.” Based on the new Governor’s budget, we…

Media

Read More: Cover A Few Pennsylvanians update

Health Care

Rendell still pushing RendellCare

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 5, 2008

Within the last few weeks, three state health care proposals fundamentally similar to Governor Rendell’s “Cover All Pennsylvanians” added to my “bad ideas pile” California legislators overwhelming rejected…

Media

Read More: Rendell still pushing RendellCare

Health Care

Equity and Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 4, 2008

Wall Street Journal editorial looks at reforming health care through the tax code. That is, giving individuals the same tax benefits in buying health insurance as employers, along with…

Media

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Health Care

Maine’s Failed Health Reforms

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 31, 2008

Greg Scandlen weighs in on the failure of Maine’s Dirigo Care program: 1. After 20 months of operation only 11,000 were enrolled in DirigoChoice (out of a total…

Media

Read More: Maine’s Failed Health Reforms

Health Care

“Cover All Pennsylvanians” Covers Very Few

  • January 14, 2008

Governor Rendell’s proposed “Cover All Pennsylvanians” claims to provide health insurance for an Administration-estimated 800,000 currently uninsured Pennsylvania adults at a cost of $1 billion dollars in just four years.

Fact Sheet

Read More: “Cover All Pennsylvanians” Covers Very Few

Criminal Justice Reform

Private Prisons Increase Capacity, Save Money, Improve Service

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 24, 2007

Good Afternoon, my name is Nathan Benefield, I am the Director of Policy Research with the Commonwealth Foundation, a research and educational organization based in Harrisburg. I would like to…

Testimony

Read More: Private Prisons Increase Capacity, Save Money, Improve Service

Health Care

Health Care Reform: Diagnose, Then Prescribe

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 10, 2007

Following the latest Census Bureau report that 47 million Americans are without health insurance, the talking heads and newspaper editorial boards are renewing their call for “something to…

Commentary

Read More: Health Care Reform: Diagnose, Then Prescribe

Welfare

Public Welfare Needs Assistance

  • August 21, 2007

Although the 2007-2008 budget controversy is fading from the limelight, the exorbitant spending it authorizes cannot be overlooked. One of the largest portions of state spending is public welfare,…

Commentary

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Health Care

The Pension and Healthcare Non-Crisis

  • Richard Dreyfuss
  • January 29, 2007

Despite the well-documented unfunded liabilities in Pennsylvania’s largest public employee pension plans (PSERS and SERS), the response from Harrisburg to the coming fiscal crisis ranges from denial to paralysis. Following…

Commentary

Read More: The Pension and Healthcare Non-Crisis

Health Care

Governor Rendell’s Healthcare Misdiagnosis

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 25, 2007

As healthcare costs continue to rise faster than consumers’ ability to pay, it is clear that we need to alter how we pay for healthcare. Recently, Governor Rendell unveiled a…

Commentary

Read More: Governor Rendell’s Healthcare Misdiagnosis

Health Care

CF Responds to Democratic Party Chairman on RendellCare

  • January 23, 2007

TJ RooneyDemocratic State Committee300 North 2nd Street8th FloorHarrisburg, PA 17101 Dear TJ: I am writing in response to your personal letter to me (which I have…

Press Release

Read More: CF Responds to Democratic Party Chairman on RendellCare

Health Care

Treating the Symptom Rather than the Cause

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • January 22, 2007

Governor Rendell wants to expand health insurance to 767,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians by increasing taxes on employers and tobacco users, to name just a few. The full costs have yet to…

Commentary

Read More: Treating the Symptom Rather than the Cause

Health Care

What Is Consumer-Directed Health Care?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 25, 2006

In the wake of expanding government-run health care in PA, here is a primer on Consumer-Driven Health Care Reform by John Goodman (of NCPA, not The Big Lebowski)…

Media

Read More: What Is Consumer-Directed Health Care?

Health Care

Senate passes version of “Cover All Kids”

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 24, 2006

Patriot News Update on the PA Senate’s passage of their version “Cover All Kids.” The specifics require a higher proportion of costs for families over 235% of the federal…

Media

Read More: Senate passes version of “Cover All Kids”

Health Care

Shrink the Legislature to 8

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 20, 2006

The House Democratic Leadership Letter – from Bill DeWeese (Minority Leader) and Mike Veon (Minority Whip) calls upon the General Assembly to pass “Cover All Kids” because they (DeWese…

Media

Read More: Shrink the Legislature to 8

Health Care

Strong Rhetoric for Socialized Medicine

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 20, 2006

Governor Rendell’s Weekly Letter along with a Press Release demands legislators pass of his “Cover All Kids” proposal. His rhetoric is powerful (read Lowman Henry’s admission that…

Media

Read More: Strong Rhetoric for Socialized Medicine

Health Care

Fighting Universal Health Care

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 18, 2006

Coverage of yesterday’s press conference on the concerns about “Cover All Kids” – the Governor’s proposed universal health care coverage for children in the Morning Call. Also from…

Media

Read More: Fighting Universal Health Care